Finger-print-registering device.



PATEN-TED FEB. 26, 1907.

P. EVANS. PRINT REGISTERING DEVICE.

n FILED DEO.16,-1906.

FINGER APPLIGATIO Invenior eiflzlarzs,

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UNITED STA'EES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL P. EVANS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SHARP & SMITH,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed December 16,1905. Serial No. 292,096.

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIonAnL P. EVANS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Finger-Print- RegisteringDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for receiving and registering theimpression of fingertips intended for preservation in connection withthe so-called Bertillon system of identification. Heretofore in takingsuch imprints it has been the practice to lay the sheet upon a table andto hold it while the imprint is being made. This practice has resultedoftentimes in producing an identification-sheet the usefulness of whichas a record was more or less impaired by reason of its becoming soiledand rumpled and because there was no regularity in location of theimpression.

My object is to overcome these objections, and I accomplish it byproviding a device for releasably holding an impression-receiving sheetof paper or other suitable material in position with a portion only ofits surface exposed while the imprint is being made upon it; and itconsists more particularly in the construction and arrangementhereinafter more specifically described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my fingerprint-registering device witha sheet of recording material positioned therein, showing the device ona table-top in position for use Fig.

2, a section taken through the device at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewedin the direction of the arrow 1* ig. 3, a section taken at the line 3 onFig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 4, a plan viewof a card adapted to be used with my device and of the form generallyused for receiving finger imprints, the card being lined to providespaces for receiving the imprints and containing descriptive printingmatter relating to the record.

A is a block of wood or other suitable material forming a base, having arounded upper front edge a, the top and outer side of the block beingrecessed, as shown, to present a continuous channel A between the frontand top surfaces of the block and a strip or sheet,

of the channel. The strip B is preferably shaped to correspond to thecontour of the top and front side of the block A and extend below it tofurnish a shield B along the front side of the block for protecting, asfrom soiling, a sheet C of paper or other suitable material forming animpression-receiving sheet inserted in the channel A and adapted toreceive the impressions. The strip A is provided with an opening aopposite the recess in the upper side of the block A, through which thesheet of paper C is exposed to permit of imprints being made upon it.The length of the aperture (1 approximates the width of the sheet C,while the measurement of the aperture in the other direction is such, bypreference, as to permit only so much of the sheet to be exposed as isrequired for the imprint.

The sheet upon which the impressions are to be made is inserted into thechannel A at the'back of the shield B and is drawn to a position'in thechannel in which the space in the paper for the first imprints isexposed through the opening M, as shown in Fig. l, in which position thesheet is held with sufficient firmness while the finger-tip imprint isbeing made, the shield serving to afford a rest for the hand and aprotection to the sheet from soiling. When the first line of spaces isfilled, the sheet is drawn through the channel until the next line ofspaces is exposed through the opening (1 when the imprinting operationmay be repeated. This operation is repeated as frequently as a new lineof imprints is to be made, after which the sheet with accurate imprintsthereon may be withdrawn from the channel at the back of the block A ina clean and unrumpled condition to constitute a permanent register ofthefinger imprints made as described.

It will be understood that the arrangement of spacing on theregister-sheet is subject to modification to suit specific requirements,and it will also be understood that the sheet may be arranged as aregistry of fingerprints of various persons in series, instead of eachsheet serving as a single register. In this case the sheet mayconstitute a part of a roll without in any material manner affecting theusefulness of the sheet-holder in the particulars above described.

While the device is especially adapted for finger-tip imprints, its useis not limited to this purpose, as it may be used, for instance, Iprints are to be taken, said shield extend- Where the impress of thepalm of the hand or ing down over the front side of said block to otherlike imprints are desired, the device beprotect a sheet of paper heldbetween said ing made of asize suiting it to its intended use. i shieldand said block when an impression is 5 WVhat I claim as new, and desireto secure to be taken.

by Letters Patent, is- MICHAEL P. EVANS.

In a device as described, a block having extended over its top and oneside a shield, In presence of said shield having in its top an openingsuffil W. B. DAVIES, to ciently large to receive fingers of Which I J.H. LANDIS.

